I call Deputy O'Donoghue.

Before I start my question, I give my sympathies to the Fossett circus family on the burial today of Marion Fossett. Their circus will have been in existence for 138 years this year. They have been going around the country and internationally. They come to Limerick every year and have always had a charity day where people come in for charity. On my own behalf and that of Independent Ireland, I give my respects to the Fossett family.

My question is about Foynes and Uisce Éireann. For decades Foynes, the port in County Limerick, has been looking for a sewerage system. In Foynes, we are getting an upgraded sewerage system, for which we have been waiting decades. I welcome that. However, the problem is that the system that is being proposed only deals with secondary waste. Basically, it is to remove the solids and let the rest go to source. The Taoiseach is a person who loves to go swimming. He often says he goes swimming on New Year's Day. The discharge for this in Foynes is in the yacht club. I see people across the Chamber smiling at me. This is a health and safety issue. This is waste going back into the River Shannon and a health and safety issue with a yacht club next to it. All Uisce Éireann is going to do is remove the solids. I would welcome all Members on the bench on the other side of the Chamber to come to Foynes to go for a swim in it. That will tell me how much they think of it when we bring it to them at source. Why is Uisce Éireann not putting in a tertiary system that removes all waste and treats it before it goes back to source? The tidal system has been investigated by professors in the field and they have shown that the waste goes off and returns two hours later to where it originated. However, all of this information is being hidden from Government when Uisce Éireann is putting in this system. We are talking about a waste of money. Why can a proper system not be put in in accordance with health and safety guidelines for everyone?

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. We have made a lot of progress in the country with regard to wastewater treatment facilities. I am of the view that it should be tertiary and not secondary where possible. I am not aware of the specifics of the actual proposal for the wastewater facility earmarked for Foynes. I will check with Uisce Éireann on this. It may not be a waste of money because I presume it can be designed and constructed with a view to adding. Let us not look a gift horse in the mouth on one level. We need more treatment plants, particularly if planning has been secured and so on. We just need to get infrastructure in place.

There may be funding issues. There may originally have been cost issues, although we have substantially increased the allocation to Uisce Éireann now and into the foreseeable future through the national development plan. I will ask.

The Deputy is absolutely correct that tertiary treatment is the optimal way to go to ensure quality of water, particularly where it is discharged into the river, which has implications for ecology, biodiversity and human health. We will respond to the Deputy's query. I will seek a response from Uisce Éireann on the specifics of the proposal.

I appreciate the Taoiseach looking into this matter. The concerns of the people of Foynes is the location. They welcome the system but the location chosen will prevent the future-proofing of Foynes. Anyone who knows Foynes will know there is hilly ground to the west. On the Limerick side, it is all flat ground. The proposed system will involve pumping it upwards and then letting it flow down with gravity. This is the perfect place for infrastructure for future housing but this will limit the amount of housing that can be put into Foynes. The town is to be connected by motorway by 2030 so it is going to be a vibrant place. We should do a bit of forward planning. The system should be put in on the Government-owned lands across the road. That is also on the side of the port. It would make sense and this infrastructure would allow for housing in the future.

I also pay tribute to Marion Fossett and the Fossett family for their extraordinary contribution to Irish life. I remember attending Fossett's Circus as a young child. Some might say I learned a few tricks from that experience.

Motion carried.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them on this sad day for the family. We thank them for what they do.

On the wastewater treatment plant, from what I can see, Uisce Éireann is now engaging in extensive works. The Foynes sewerage scheme will include a new wastewater treatment plant and 3.5 km of new pipelines to convey wastewater to and from the new treatment plant site, and an upgraded terminal pumping station with storm storage and an extension to the existing marine outfall will be constructed. It is fairly significant in and of itself.

It is secondary.

I will make the point that, on location, there may be people for or against any given location but someone has to decide on a location from an objective engineering and wider planning perspective. I know of a wastewater treatment plant whose location was decided by one vote but, 30 years later, no one has complained. It did the job and it was the correct decision at the time.

Thank you, Taoiseach. I am sure there will be further engagement on this.

There was a lot of heat around that decision.

That concludes Leaders' Questions.

Before I move on, we have a lot of groups to mention. We have a full Public Gallery. I welcome everyone. I particularly welcome visitors from Ballinamore Men's Shed, who are here at the behest of Deputy Martin Kenny, and visitors from Déise Day Centre, Dungarvan, who are guests of the Chief Whip, Deputy Butler. They are all very welcome.